Saturday, February 14, 2009

Quitting politics in exchange for amnesty?

In the wake of the Pheau Thai Party's plan to propose a bill for a generalamnesty for all politicians, the inevitable question is whether the whole exercise is aimed at getting Thaksin Shinawatra off the hook.

If that's the case, the so-called "National Reconciliation Bill" would be a non-starter. But then I heard on radio just now that former Army Chief Gen Chaisith Shinawatra was proposing that Thaksin could pledge to abandon politics once and for all in exchange for an amnesty.

"I think Thaksin may consider this option. His family has learned the lesson. And I believe he also wants to spend the rest of his life in some peace," Gen Chaisith, one of Thaksin's nephews, said on "Lap, Luang, Prang" (Secret, Deception, Camouflage) programme on FM 100.5 just now.

The problem is even if Thaksin does make that statement, how many people would really believe him?